Greg Dyke, the Football Association chairman, is keen on a former England international being appointed to the FA board, giving the governing body greater expertise, particularly relating to the national side.

Possible candidates include Gary Lineker, Rio Ferdinand, Gary Neville and Graeme Le Saux, who voiced his interest in the role on Wednesday.

“It’s good that the FA is embracing the idea of getting ex-players involved, making a contribution,” said Le Saux, the former Chelsea, Blackburn Rovers and Southampton defender who represented England on 36 occasions. “I have a perspective based on playing professionally for 18 years.

“I certainly think whatever part of the FA you are looking at that more contribution from former players and more consultation with current players is an important step-change. It is happening. Gareth [Southgate] is there [with the Under-21s]. Gary [Neville] is there [with the seniors]. I’m there, doing work in a slightly different area.”

Le Saux is a member of the FA’s Inclusion Advisory Board and also the Football Regulatory Authority. “I’d have the time [to do more with the FA]. You’d make time. It would be something that would really interest me: the governance of the game, the development of the game but also the standards the FA set. And England. Absolutely.”

Dyke is aware of widespread criticism of the FA’s board as lacking any first-hand playing experience. The issue is complicated by the constitution of the FA board which has stipulated amounts of representatives from the amateur game and the professional game.

Along with Dyke and the general secretary Alex Horne, the FA board is made up of Roger Burden of Gloucestershire FA, Barry Bright of Kent FA, Mervyn Leggett of Worcestershire FA, Michael Game of Essex FA, David Gill of Manchester United, Ian Lenagan of Oxford United, Keith Lamb of Middlesbrough and two independent non-executive directors, Heather Rabbatts of Millwall and Roger Devlin, a golf Blue at Oxford University.

Dyke, whose reforming zeal will also extend to tackling the unwieldy FA Council, named three former internationals, Ferdinand, Glenn Hoddle and Danny Mills, to his FA England Commission, drawing on their knowledge of playing for club and country. Although the commission attracted much negative publicity for its espousal of B teams, it should receive praise when the grass-roots elements to the two-part report, including heavy investment in 3G pitches, are announced in the autumn.

Ferdinand is one of the possible contenders for a more influential role within the FA. He fell out with the FA in 2003 when he was banned for eight months for missing a drugs test but became a senior statesman in the dressing room, an England captain and is a highly respected pundit while playing at Queens Park Rangers.

Lineker has been a critic of some of the FA’s methods but was a valued member of its unsuccessful 2018 World Cup bid. Gary Neville is involved as a coach with England and has become one of the most thoughtful commentators on the game.

Le Saux followed England’s fortunes at the World Cup, saw some encouraging signs in the first two games where “there were some good contributions from players”, but understands the amount of improvement required. It is the knowledge of past players like Le Saux that the FA board needs to tap into. “Every England player tried 100 per cent at the World Cup but there wasn’t that collective urgency, that identity, that hunger that we saw from other teams. We look vulnerable. We don’t have belief.”

Le Saux could give the board insight into the fear felt by England players, drawing on the memory of a mistake he made when caught out by Dan Petrescu’s run in the 2-1 group-stage loss to Romania at France 98.

“I got absolutely battered in the press,” Le Saux said. “I was the scapegoat. The next game [Colombia], a massive game, I went on to the pitch thinking: ‘For God’s sake, don’t make another mistake.’ I didn’t risk anything. I lost that creativity. I didn’t play ‘honestly’. I didn’t make certain runs because I might lose the ball. I lost the trust [of team-mates].

“It took me 20 minutes to get that out of my system. The next season, I got abuse for four months from fans, saying ‘you let your country down’. How do you change that?”

The FA needs to enhance England’s fragile confidence as well as restoring the faith of the fans after another disappointing tournament. England face Norway on Sept 3 at a Wembley expected to be only a third-full.

“I hope people aren’t losing interest in England,’’ Le Saux said. “I still feel we are very supportive of our team. It’s vital we play an entertaining style of football. We have enough quality. Raheem Sterling is a great example. Luke Shaw has a lot of potential. Gary Cahill had an excellent tournament. Daniel Sturridge has a lot of potential as well.”

Showing the sort of independent thinking he could bring to the FA board, Le Saux suggested that if gates dipped at Wembley then England should consider taking games around the country (after the current Wembley deal expires in 2017).

“We did the tour of England and it was great,’’ Le Saux said. “I know they have to play games at Wembley now but there’s nothing like invigorating the country then taking the national team around. Everyone went ‘this is great’. If numbers are going down, it’s something the FA should think about again.”

At least the FA is definitely thinking about more England experience in the corridors of power.

Guardians of the game: FA Board members in profile

Greg Dyke

FA chairman was Director General of BBC and is the chairman of both the British Film Institute and Europe’s largest theatre group ATG.

Alex Horne

Executive director and general secretary trained as chartered accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Barry Bright

Leader of the FA Council is a retired surveyor/estate agent and former member of the Kent Police Authority.

Roger Burden

Chairman of the National Game Board is a former chief executive and chairman of Cheltenham & Gloucester Plc.

Michael Game

Former member of Chelmsford Borough Council chairs the Safety Committee and is a member of the FA’s Women’s Super League Board.

Mervyn Leggett

Had a career in the sports insurance industry and is now an FA vice-chairman.

David Gill

Former Manchester United chief executive is a member of the Professional Game Board.

Keith Lamb

Former Middlesbrough chief executive joined the Board in 2011 as a representative of the Football League.

Ian Lenagan

Director of Oxford United and chairman of Wigan Warriors is a representative of the Football League.

Roger Devlin

Non-executive director was financial adviser to a number of Premier League clubs.

Heather Rabbatts

Former Millwall executive deputy chair became the first female Board member when she was appointed in 2012.